Declaration of Dependence, the third record of Kings of Convenience, is a brilliant album for a lot of reasons. On the one hand Eirik Boe feels comfortable with both talking about the "serious thoughts" in his music as well as laughing about their "sophisticated Bossa Nova"-moments, while his partner Erlend Oye is obviously very excited about having recorded "the most rhythmic pop record of all times that gets by without percussion or drums". On the other hand there's nobody, who produces their records the way they do it. "When we started, we were afraid of sounding like all the other artists", says Erlend, "but by now we feel very unique." But the most striking thing about Declaration of Dependence is the listenere's awareness of the fact that creating music together is not a game, nothing you can treat lightly. This record is part of a bigger entity, a long and complex relationship that has been through good and bad times.

Kings of Convenience announce album, tour details. After the enigmatic announcement that only one gig (in the Azores of all places) would precede the upcoming release of their as-yet-unnamed third album, soft-spoken Bergen duo Kings of Convenience have offered up a few more details about that record, and, thankfully, some more accessible live dates. These revelations have been by no means trumpeted to the world, however, instead they come in the form of an internet-posted postcard/note from Erlend, bearing a picture of their beloved Bergen and the following hand-scrawled message: "Dear Fans! Good things come to those who wait. We know it's taken a while, but finally we are done with our 3rd album. It will be released in the very end of September, and after that we will go on tour. The album was recorded in studios in Italy and Bergen and in Erlend's flat. See you soon! Erlend."

Press Release :
"The album title?", asks Erlend. "It's obviously a reference to me and Eirik. We want to put the idea of "dependence" in perspective. For hundreds of years it has all been about independence, even though the dependence on another person can be something very postive. All the freedom we have enjoyed during the past decades almost provided us with too many opportunities. What we're doing together is important to the both of us - it is the most perfect thing we are capable of. Dependence is limiting the infinite possibilities of life. As soon as you have reached your thirties, you want to make irrevocable decisions. You want to accept who you are."

Declaration of Dependence, the third record of Kings of Convenience, is a brilliant album for a lot of reasons. On the one hand Eirik Boe feels comfortable with both talking about the "serious thoughts" in his music as well as laughing about their "sophisticated Bossa Nova"-moments, while his partner Erlend Oye is obviously very excited about having recorded "the most rhythmic pop record of all times that gets by without percussion or drums." On the other hand there's nobody, who produces their records the way they do it. "When we started, we were afraid of sounding like all the other artists", says Erlend, "but by now we feel very unique." But the most striking thing about Declaration of Dependence is the listenere's awareness of the fact that creating music together is not a game, nothing you can treat lightly. This record is part of a bigger entity, a long and complex relationship that has been through good and bad times.

To be able to make such emotional music, you have to be willing to expose yourself and develop the ability of being honest about your ideas. With Declaration of Dependence the Kings of Convenience - two very opposed characters - are accepting the power they have in conjunction with each other. And even more than that, they admit how much they need each other to be able to create the music they want to make. This type of honesty is rather rare in pop music.

"We're differing in a lot of things", says Eirik. "There are many conflicts, different inerests, but we have fought so much during the past years that we now finally know how to deal with each other."

Songs like "Second to Numb", "Rule My World" and "24-25" are perfectly written and arranged - just like everything Kings Of Convenience created thus far - but at the same time Decleration of Dependence is signalling the begin of a new era. They began working on the record back in February 2007, when they met at a Mexican beach, which can also be seen on the album cover. They had travelled there , because they were about to play a show there - their first performance in almost two years. They both thought it was about time to make a new record. "Basically", Eirik says, "we had no choice."

"Go easy on me, I can't help what I'm doing..." - Renegade

Eirik and Erlend are both living in Bergen again, now that Erlend has returned to his hometown after living in Berlin for five years. "I wanted to be at a place, where I could just walk and walk and walk.", he says about his temporary home. "I just wanted to lose myself in a beautiful city."

"There is a lot of creative pain, when we get together", says Erlend. "The least enthusiastic person we know is always the other one. We both want each other to reveal new ideas that are groundbreaking!" "It's because of how we work", says Eirik, "that things develop rather slowly. We're working very detailed. That means, all songs that remain after all have survived all the criticism we're confronting each other with. You have to be able to let go, to kill you favourites; it still hurts every time though."

"We have become very egalitarian.", says Erlend. "When we started, Eirik definitely was the lead singer. But now we're equal partners and have developped a whole new pallette of sounds."

"OK, I get it, OK, I see, you feel vulnerable around me..." - Mrs Cold

And that's how Declaration of Dependence is the story of two people, who are leading different lives and feel that together they're a lot stonger than alone. In that sense Declaration of Dependence is the most mature record Kings of Convenience have recorded thus far. The fact that it's also their most compelling and honest work is only a side product of that honesty and all their efforts.

"Erlend is a very stubborn person with an extreme belief and his own ideas.", says Eirik about his partner. "He is free and creative and is open to unusual, new ideas. I think that's very unique. For some reason his ideas are almost equal to my ideals of music - we both love that kind of abnormity."

"Eirik feels torn between different ideals of a good life.", says Erlend. "He longs for stability, but doesn't want to cease the adventures. I'm rather open to an adventurous, spontaneous lifestyle. But because of my strong preference for that way of living, he has become very steady. We like to take up opposing stances. I think he's envious of me about the fact that I never really grew up - I'm still free. On the other hand, I envy him for his steadiness. He's got a beautiful girlfriend and a lovely child. And I can tell you, that child is going to be our future drummer. He will set our new agenda!"

Djouls

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